Removing foreign language fonts

Question

Does anyone know of a way to remove the many foreign language fonts from Windows 7? There wasn't an option to exclude them during setup. I've tried deleting them, but Windows tells me that they are system fonts which cannot be deleted. I've also tried "Hiding" them, but they still show up in the font list in Office and other programs. All I want and need are the basic English language fonts. Having to wade through dozens of useless (to me) fonts is a major annoyance. There should be a way to exclude them from my system if I don't need them.

Answer 1

Hello mcbarker69,

The reason that I did not know the fonts in question is because no particular fonts were mentioned, and I had gone into fonts and removed a couple foreign fonts with no problem. However that being said, in order to remove the fonts that are being referred to follow these steps:

Take ownership of the file:

 - Click Start Orb > type fonts in the search box > click Fonts

 - Right-click the font > click Properties - Click Security tab > click Advanced - Click Owner > click Edit - Select your Username > click OK

Click OK on the Windows Security box

Change Permissions of the file:

 - Click Permissions > click Change Permissions

 - Select your Username > click Edit

 - Checkmark Allow for Full control

 - Click OK - Click OK

Click Yes on the Windows Security box

 - Click OK

You will need to remember the names of your font(s) that you want to delete.

Delete the file:

Will need to start Safe mode with command prompt

Restart your computer and tap F-8 continually, this will bring you to your Advanced Boot Options, select Safe mode with command prompt.

Once you have booted:

In command prompt navigate to fonts:

 - type cd c:\windows\fonts > press enter

 - type del "font name" > press enter *Do not use the quotes around the font name

This should bring you back to a clean prompt.

Once you are finished > Ctrl+Alt+Del > select restart from the arrow in the bottom right corner of your screen and start Windows normally.

Hope this helps

As the Windows Security box states; this could cause Windows to act differently. Make sure you know which fonts you are removing and that Windows does not need them before you remove any protected system fonts. This could cause many complications with your installation of Windows.

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Chris.H

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

Answer 2

Hello mcbarker69,

Thank you for visiting the Microsoft Answers Community.

I am not sure what fonts you are referring to, however in order to remove fonts from your system:

   - Click Start Orb > type fonts into the searchbox

   - Click fonts in search results above

   - Highlight the font(s) you would like to delete and simply hit delete key

   - Confirm deleting from system

Hope this helps

---

Chris.H

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

Answer 3

Thanks, but that doesn't work. I'm not sure if the fonts in question are from my previous Win7 RC1 installation, or my new Win7 Pro installation. I did a custom upgrade, because my previous OS was WinXP (replaced by the RC1 trial). The fonts in question have been present in both Win7 installations. I managed to delete some of the fonts the way you suggested, but there are still a bunch of Chinese, Middle Eastern, Cherokee, Korean, etc. fonts which claim to be system fonts, and Win7 refuses to allow me to delete them. I had hoped that the new Win7 Pro install would either remove them, or at least give me the option not to install them. I tried taking ownership of them, but the system wouldn't allow that. My user account is an administrator account, and I have UAC turned off.

Answer 4

For reference, and for a test case, one "Win won't" message is:

"Plantagent Cherokee cannot be deleted because it is a protected system font"

Um, err, it is *really* that vital to the functioning of Win7? 

How about the font for "Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics"?

"Euphemia cannot be deleted because it is a protected system font".

With apologies, my Indian friends include only those from as far north as Wisconsin, so I really don't need that one, or the fonts for the other kinds of Indians, or the Thais, and while I love the food, Ethiopic ain't a prospective need.  Did someone get slap-happy here?

I'm not against the foreign language fonts, as I have need of the Chinese ones, though I don't know if I need all _15_ of them.

(BTW: a nice way to see which might be questionable is to open up the Control Panel -> Fonts window, change display to 'details' (selection next to blue question mark), and then sort on the "Designed for" column.   Nice as you _don't_ want to wholesale delete the 'Latin' or Symbols' fonts.  But 'Khmer'??  C'mon! )

Why has Microsoft forbidden users to delete *obviously* unneeded fonts?   "Phags-Pa" was invented for Kublai Khan?!?!